The doctrine of singular obedience, as the duty and property of the true Christian

The First USE may be for INSTRUCTION, in several Particulars.

Instruct. I. We may here see, that among Christians, there are but few true Christians to be found. Among Nominal Christians, but few Real Christians: For there are but few that Out-do others in their Obedience to the Commandments of God. They call themselves Christians, they are Christians in Profession, but in Practice like the rest of the world. Salvian complained of it in his time: He says, that Prater Pau••ssimos, excepting a very few indeed; the generality of the Christian world was Sentina V•tiorum, a Sink of Vice and Sin. And is the world better now than it was in his time, above a Thousand Years ago? Look over the Earth, and see if there be many Real Christians among those that bear the Christian Name. In the Eastern Nations there are Millions who are called Christians, but they are miserable Christians. In Africa, that great Continent, Three times as big as Europe, there are indeed now but very few that have the Christian Name, compared to what once there was. That ⟨p. 30⟩Part of the world once full of Christians, is now overwhelmed with Mahometans: Yet about Egypt there are many Thousands of Christians, but miserable ones. And if we look on the Greek Churches, what lamentable Christians are they? Let us cast our Eyes upon Europe, there we may see more Papists (who are Pagan-Christians) than Protestants. They boast of the great multitudes of Christians they have made in America; they say as many as all the Latin Church: They pretend to Fourteen Millions, but they are most woeful Christians. Then consider the Protestant Nations; How is it among them? As for the Generality of those that go under that Name, are there not such as destroy their Christian Profession, by a wicked Conversation? As to their Morals, they are not much better, than the Papists. It is so too generally. Blessed be God, who has put it into the Hearts of some Great Personages, as well as others, to promote Reformation of Manners. The Churches of the Reformation need Reformation. Among Protestants, Drunkenness, Profane Swearing, Sabbath-breaking, Unrighteousness, Vile Debaucheries, Covetousness are common Evils: Besides very many who